2009 MINI Cooper Clubman: 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman Project Car: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Mini Cooper Clubman: 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman Feb 18, 2009

We picked up our 2009 MINI Cooper Clubman at Orlando MINI this past weekend, after just a four week wait for the special order process. This is going to be an occasional autocrosser and full-time family hauler for the Schroeder family. Our Cooper Clubman wears a paint color called Hot Chocolate, and we added just a few options to the base model: sport seats, sport suspension, multi-function steering wheel and Xenon lights. The grand total was a reasonable $22,850.

We traded in our 2007 MINI Cooper S, a car that served us well for two years. We look forward to slinging this slightly longer MINI around the cones.

This isn’t going to be a “real” project car, just one that you’ll occasionally see at events.

Comments

VonSmallhausen:: Ha thats the exact car that my dad wants, but with the leather, he says it makes him feel like he is siting in a chocolate bar
Feb 18, 2009 2:49 p.m.
Nashco:: What? No pictures of the car burning out while loading the baby into the car seat? :) Did you notice that you can't get the rear pillars in body color? I don't know anybody else who bought one yet, but that was a surprise to me when I checked one out for the first time…kind of annoying, actually.
Feb 18, 2009 4:20 p.m.
Per Schroeder:: That was a fun bit of photoshop on the family haulers article…but hey, this is a Cooper, not a Cooper S, so not much for the burning rubber. I actually don't mind the black pillars. Looks good on a dark brown car.
Feb 18, 2009 5:24 p.m.
Nashco:: I know it was photoshop, I remember how you guys had to follow up with the, “No, really, we didn't actually do that,” story. I'm amused that people got up in arms about it! I agree, the dark brown works ok with the black pillars, I wondered if that's why you got the dark brown. The only other color that helps the pillars blend in (IMO) is black, but having lived in Florida before I'd say anybody getting an all black car that close to the equator is just asking for it. Heck, even “Hot Chocolate” seems gutsy!
Feb 18, 2009 6:17 p.m.
MadScientistMatt:: Hot chocolate? Looks more like semi-sweet to me. Although that name probably wouldn't make much sense in a brochure.
Feb 20, 2009 11:23 a.m.
simonaldridge:: I see you went for the sport suspension but no lsd? Is the lsd worth looking into as I spec my mini? I'm probably going to get a straight cooper and am wondering about option, wheel sizes, sport suspension, etc. as I am thinking about occasional track days and maybe some casual autocross…
Aug 6, 2009 1:51 p.m.

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